Early morning is best!
Mount Cardigan is one of my local go-to mountains when I want to get up and out, without a long drive. It is extremely popular because it is a relatively short hike and offers a bare granite summit with long views in all directions. I tend to go early, to beat the crowds, but that was especially important today… at 7am the temperature was already in the high 60s and extremely humid, with thunderstorms possible in late morning and afternoon. Read on!
A visit to an old friend on a blustery day.
I’ve climbed Mount Cardigan at least a dozen times over nearly four decades… and yet my records show I have not been back since 2016. Its bald granite dome (the result of a wildfire years ago) grants visitors grand views in all directions, so it is a very popular destination for hikers young and old.
Today was a cool and windy day, as I wound my way up the familiar West Ridge Trail. I arrived early to beat the holiday-weekend crowds and the forecasted rain, and enjoyed a quiet hike through the damp woods to the windy summit.
And windy it was! After a brief stay in the shadow of the summit firetower, I returned via the South Ridge Trail, which provided some fine views of the peak.
Check out the photo gallery, including a video from the summit.
Hike stats:
distance: 5.3km
gain: 337m
time: 1h37m
David Kotz 